Wilton YMCA: Flood damage repairs to cost $4.5 million, fundraising campaign underway

Torrential rain and severe flooding on Aug. 18 caused extensive damage to the Wilton Family Y, including the Little League fields, the pond and beach area, the pavilion, the archery range, the paddle courts and the 50-meter pool.

Marissa Alter

Sep 23, 2024, 9:56 PM

Updated 19 days ago

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It’s expected to cost about $4.5 million to rebuild parts of the Wilton Family YMCA following massive flooding last month, according to Y officials.
On Aug. 18, torrential rain pummeled the area, sending the Norwalk River—which surrounds three sides of the property—out of its banks.
CEO Christene Freedman described the flooding as “fast and furious,” saying the water came in through the parking lot and then took over most of the property.
“It was the craziest thing we've ever seen,” added COO Samantha Lusher. “We couldn't tell the different between the parking lot or the pond or really anything in its general vicinity.”
The flooding caused extensive damage to the outdoor facilities, including the Little League fields, the pond and beach area, the pavilion, the archery range and the paddle courts. But the top priority is fixing the 50-meter pool.
“With all the rain, we had such an influx of groundwater that impacted the underneath of the pool,” Freedman explained.
Thousands of people have been affected by the pool being out of commission, Lusher said.
“You're looking at lap swimmers, aqua aerobics, a competitive team - and that's just scratching the surface,” Lusher told News 12. “We host swim meets. We host special needs. We host everything. So, this is one of our major hubs of places for people to go.”
The pool is used year-round with a bubble during the colder months. Repairs there are underway and estimated to be $500,000, but the price tag for the whole project is nine times that amount.
The Y has launched a flood relief campaign to help fundraise that money.
Insurance won’t cover any of it due to the damage being to the grounds and outside structures, Freedman explained. She said a structure has to have four walls and a roof to be covered by insurance, which isn’t the case with the pavilion and paddle courts.
It's also unclear if the Y will get any financial help from the federal government.
“We're not sure. It's not guaranteed for us. We're a nonprofit so we have to see what's left over at the end of it. That's why we're relying on the fundraising campaign,” Freedman stated.
The public has already come through helping to clean up the pond and beach area last month. But it's just the start of a long recovery effort.
“It takes a village,” Lusher said. “Community support, either monetarily or volunteering, is the only way we're going to get any of this stuff done.”
The hope is to have the pool reopen in November and the rest of the repairs done by Memorial Day next year.
To make a donation to the flood relief efforts, click here.